The invention generally relates to vehicular navigation systems for directing a vehicle operator to a specified destination. More specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle navigation system using a remote navigation server over a wireless telephone connection and downloading routing information to the vehicle via the wireless connection.
Traditional vehicle navigation systems utilize an on-board route calculator and map data base or, alternatively, utilize a remote navigation server connected on a real-time basis to the vehicle via a wireless (e.g. mobile or cellular phone) communication channel. Such systems also feature a dedicated full-screen display, typically associated with the vehicle""s radio for visually giving the operator a route map to a desired destination. These known systems are complex and expensive and therefore are usually available as an option only in high-end luxury vehicles.
As vehicle navigation systems become more popular with the consumer base, a need arises for providing a more economical navigation system which may be incorporated into a broader range of vehicle categories.
Accordingly, we have discovered a relatively low-cost approach to providing a vehicle navigation system.
In one aspect of the invention, an on-board vehicular system for use with a remote navigation server including a navigation database, a route calculator and a voice message recognition and generation system, features an on-board vehicular system comprising a global positioning system receiver adapted to generate vehicular location coordinates in response to signals received from a global positioning system, a transceiver module for recognizing operator commands, for generating commands to the operator, and for sending, receiving and storing data messages, the transceiver module coupled to the global positioning system receiver for receipt of vehicle coordinate data, a mobile phone coupled by a wireless communication medium to the transceiver module and adapted to send vehicle coordinate data and route requests from the transceiver module to the remote navigation server and further adapted to receive navigational route information generated by the route calculator and to forward received information to the transceiver module by the wireless communication medium, and an instruction unit associated with the transceiver module for communicating to the operator turn-by-turn directional navigation instructions generated by the transceiver module in response to received navigational route information.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for assisting an operator in navigating a vehicle comprises the steps of activating a global positioning system receiver on board the vehicle to generate vehicle location coordinates, activating a transceiver module on board the vehicle and presenting an operator request for service thereto, wirelessly activating a mobile phone via the transceiver module and a wireless communications medium to establish a mobile phone communication channel between the transceiver module and a remote navigation server in response to the request, sending a vehicle destination identification via an operator routing message to the remote navigation server via the transceiver module, the wireless communication medium and the mobile phone communication channel, sending the vehicle location coordinates to the remote navigation server via the transceiver module, the wireless communication medium and the mobile phone communication channel, calculating, at the remote navigation server, turn-by-turn navigational command information and downloading the calculated information to the transceiver module via the mobile phone communication channel and the wireless communication medium, and generating turn-by-turn navigational instructions to the operator at the transceiver unit using the downloaded navigational command information.